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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · content · pound · vault · bass · rest · calf · fork

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rest — what's left
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rest — a break
  10. content — the amount
  11. pound — a weight
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stock — goods
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. content — happy
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bass — low music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com